Ralf Schumacher thinks he is one of the “best three drivers” in formula one.
In an interview with Bild newspaper, the 31-year-old German, who for the first time since 1996 will this year be the only Schumacher on the grid, ranked himself alongside F1’s undisputed top two Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen.
“Clearly they are really fast but I don’t feel like I have to hide from anyone,” he said.
“I rank myself among the best three drivers.
“If I didn’t think that then I wouldn’t bother being in formula one any more,” Schumacher added.
Ralf, however, looks set to be buried in the midfield in 2007 with Toyota’s uncompetitive TF107, after admitting that it is presently at least a second per lap slower than the leading bunch.
He explained: “But in a slow car even my brother wouldn’t have been world champion.”
Despite Toyota’s struggle with a mammoth annual budget, Schumacher said there would be “no point” losing his temper about the fact that he is unlikely to feature strongly next week in Australia.
“We have to work and improve, not look the other way,” Ralf insisted, “and one day our effort will bear fruit.
“I hope it’s this year; I still intend to win Toyota’s first race in 2007.”
